Meet J. PARTYLORD | Tattooer/Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with J. PARTYLORD and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J., why did you pursue a creative career?
Compulsion? I don’t think it’s ever been anything outside of just going with what feels like the right thing to do at the time. I say my parents lean away from “safe” careers to instead follow their passions and do the things that felt most in line with what fed and motivated them. They followed along with the things that inspired them to progress and be better people. That carries a heavy weight. It’s a demonstration of value that I think is different from what culture pushes and I think it’s a hidden value that exists outside of monetary ideas. Doing what fuels you and keeps those flames stoked is worth more than gold or money or instagram followers or fame. If doing what you do puts a smile on your face, that’s worth everything some days and that’s always been my motivation. Life is short and the world can be bleak, might as well have fun surviving it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Currently I’m most excited about making things for myself again. Outside of the tattoo career I lead day to day, I’ve been in a creative field for quite some time, in a variety of capacities. Freelance illustration and design, curating an exhibition space, screen printing for both fun and profit, I’ve finally been able to put enough of the bricks in place for a foundation that now I can lean mostly back into doing personal work that I can make for myself, and the resources are mostly available when I want to make things. When the pandemic hit I pulled out the screen printing stuff and made merch to get through, and I’ll probably do some more soon, just for fun. I did my first solo show in 8 years in October of this year. And it was good to be back out there trying to show people what I do when it’s just me making things that are in my head. But it’s nice after a lot of years of building artistic relationships and operation in mainly service related avenues, that I get to focus sometime on making things I want to make again.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ll be honest. I’m not huge one, nor do I have a lot of time to explore “New Denver.” I’m a single father to a four year old and I don’t have a ton of time to hang out. So mostly I spend time looking for music to share with my daughter and collectioning vintage toys.

Usually we’re outside if the weather permits. There’s a handful of good skate spots around the city, even for someone rapidly approaching their 40’s like me. La Alma park, Dayton skatepark and the new spot at Paco Sanchez Park on the hill are all places I get around to when I don’t want to roll around Denver Park or the neighborhood on South Broadway. My daughter and I love Mutiny Information Cafe and I’m in there almost daily for coffee and to peruse the comics, art books and records. Her and I are always in Wax Trax or Twist N Shout or Tattered Cover looking for music and reference materials, or combing through toys at 5280’s or the Gnarly Toybox.

As far as food goes, we’re frequently in the Brutal Poodle because they do what they do well and they have something for everyone. Same and more goes for my friends over at the Crypt who’ve probably got the beat up and coming spot in the city over on 17th. A horror themed bar with a zero waste kitchen that mostly serves vegan and vegetarian dishes? Get with it. I’ve been friends with the guys at TRVE Brewing for years and I don’t have enough good things to say about the folks at Music City Hot Chicken either. You can find me at Sol Tribe Custom Tattoo and Body Piercing working 4 days a week, but I’m always out on the block over here, whether it’s at Hi Dive to see friends, or Pie Hole for a slice , or chilling at Ritual Tattoo with the homies just talking shop.

Life feels a lot more quaint or quiet than it has in years passed, but I find quality interactions much more important than the quantity of which I have them. Spending time with my close friends and my family have become the prevailing notions recently and I’m enjoying the gentle slowing of my life.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A lot of people. Pretty much everyone around me at all times deserves a little bit of credit for helping to put me where I’m at.

During the pandemic I lost my grandmother after quite a long battle with Alzheimer’s, and I wasn’t able to make it home for her funeral.

She was probably the first person to really exist as a creative/maker in my eyes. She taught art at a small Lutheran Church/School in Southeastern Wisconsin, just outside Milwaukee. She was always handing me drawing supplies, making me test her crafts for school, making holiday decorations, or dragging me to the Milwaukee Art Museum to look at all things classical and otherwise. She was a night owl and an insomniac like I am. When I was a teenager I had a key to my grandparents house and would show up there at all hours to sleep or just be away from my parents. She was always up making things and watching late night television. We would drink tea and talk about life until I would usually turn in and leave her at the table working, sometimes till the sun began to rise. She gets the shout out for putting the fever in my bones yo make and create.

Instagram: @jpartylord

Image Credits
Emily Zinnati Matt Wes J. PARTYLORD